


jolly good cheer

by NotSummer



Series: 2017 Life Day Prompts [2]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coffee Shops, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Geology, In-Laws, Pre-Relationship, is that really a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 09:33:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12932469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotSummer/pseuds/NotSummer
Summary: Holiday Prompt 12: I’m hiding from my in-laws in a coffee shop and you’re the person who looked worried about me.





	jolly good cheer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fadesfanfic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadesfanfic/gifts).



> Fade and I share custody of Nassath and Vanji, but Nassath belongs much more to her.

Vanji curled into her coffee cup, mindlessly pushing it around in front of her as she brooded. Life Day meant her parents pretending even harder that they liked each other, and her doctorate sister parading around with her Nobel prize girlfriend. Life Day meant pretending she was “holding up the family name”.

Fuck it.

A career in geology with a hobby of MMA was not exactly what her parents wanted. Her younger sister was angling to run the family business while bringing her electrical engineering expertise to help expand the company’s interests. Great. Vanji could tell you what rocks and minerals could be found in an area of terrain based on the shape of the land, erosion, etc.

So helpful.

She curled tighter around her coffee cup, folding herself into the corner of the booth as she shuffled around her notes, aimlessly flipping through pages.

She was interrupted by the clack of a plate, and she looked up to see a young Rattataki man her age pushing a chocolate croissant towards her. “Let me guess,” he said, “In-laws?”

Vanji stared at him. She didn’t have time for this. She was about to tell him to clear out when he added, “C’mon, everyone’s got an in-law twitch. That girl over there, see her scowl? She’s probably thinking about her mother law.” He sat back, grinning. “That dude looks like he’s gonna snap that fuckin’ phone in half.”

In spite of herself, Vanji felt herself smirk. He smirked, looking pleased with himself. “I’m Nassath.”

“Vanji. Pleasure,” she responded automatically, sitting up straight. Her seclusion was gone, and she automatically defaulted to the impeccable manners her parents had drilled into her.

He blinked as she sat up, rising to her true height, nearly a foot taller than him, but he didn’t seem off put by it. “I’m in town looking at grad schools for my PhD. My cousins are here, and so I’m staying with them while I look around. One of them has a damned harpy for a husband though,” he said, wincing. “Tempted to put something extra in this coffee.”

“Sounds troubling,” Vanji said. She added, awkwardly, “My sister. And her girlfriend. Likely to be fiance after tomorrow night.”

Nassath winced. “Oh man. At least they can’t forget their anniversary?”

Vanji smiled, truly smiled. “I suppose that is true.”

“You’re very… posh.” He put his hands behind his head, leaning back. Vanji had a feeling that if they had been at a coffee table, he would have put his feet up on the furniture.

“I have manners,” she retorted.

He snorted. “Sure, but no fun. Relax a little.”

She rolled her eyes, but asked, “What discipline are you pursuing for your doctorate?”

“Geology. Looking at ways to make it easier to synthesize Adegan crystals.” He rolled his eyes. “Boring, I know.”

“It is not, though.” Vanji inclined her head. “I myself am pursuing my doctorate in geology. However, my dissertation covers the requirements for naturally forming orthorhombic nexor crystals, and the benefits manifested by such a structure.”

“You realize you talk like an academic paper, right?” He raised a brow at her.

Vanji winced, slightly. “I suppose one could say that,” she said slowly.

He let it go, only saying, “If it works.” He leaned forward, and grinned, “Want to hear about my cousins, and you can vent about your sister? I’m nobody, you won’t have to see me again.”

* * *

She did, in fact, see him again. Their meetings at the coffee shop during the winter holidays became a daily routine, Vanji sliding in around 2 in the afternoon when she had reached her limits on dealing with her family.

They made an odd pair, her with her rigid formality and perfect posture, and him with his carefree slouch and idiomatic language. Over a couple weeks though, her posture loosened, and Vanji could even be seen smiling from time to time.

They quickly learned each other’s coffee preferences, and often ordered for each other, although Vanji was not above using her much larger physique to pay for their drinks first. His clothes were much cheaper, and he made jokes about being a broke grad student, something Vanji with her vast family fortunes couldn’t relate to, so she bought the drinks as much as she could. A small price to pay for a friendship.

Of course, all good things end, and they were sitting in an uncharacteristic silence, silently sipping their drinks and enjoying each other’s company when Nassath suddenly blurted out, “I’m leaving to head back home tomorrow.”

“What?” Vanji set her drink down. “I thought you were staying here…” she trailed off, hoping her more verbose friend would provide an explanation.

“U of R is offering a full scholarship to me, plus stipend.” He shifted. “I can’t really turn that down.”

“Of course,” Vanji said automatically, her heart constricting.

He held up his phone. “I… I actually need to start packing. My flight leaves early in the morning. I wish I’d given you more notice.” He looked regretful, and Vanji could barely answer.

“Oh.” She spun her coffee cup in a circle, staring into her mug. “I… Oh.”

He laughed, a sharp bittersweet sound. “Finally got rid of all those long words.” He stood up. “I gotta go, Vanj. It’s been fun.”

She nodded jerkily, and opened her mouth to say something, anything, but her words failed her. She was going to miss these talks. She was going to miss them quite a bit. In two weeks, Nassath had become part of her life, her routine.

He hesitated, then darted forward before she could stand, kissing her cheek. “I’ll see you around, Vanj.” He turned to leave, stopping at the door to look back at her, where she sat frozen, her hand unconsciously rising to her cheek. He waved, almost awkwardly, at her, before pushing open the glass door, and disappearing into the afternoon crowds.

Vanji sat alone with her cold coffee for several minutes before her phone buzzed.

_We’ll see each other again. Promise._

Smiling slightly, she ordered another coffee, and sat back in their booth, letting the sunlight wash over her.


End file.
